Meet the Freshmen: San Diego’s Cameron Neubauer

We conclude our look at the incoming freshman class for the Toreros with perhaps the most key addition to join the Toreros for the 2014-15 season. The only major loss from last year’s roster that made great strides is Dennis Kramer, a German forward who developed into a lethal weapon in the frontcourt during his time at USD. Kramer was by far the most reliable source for rebounds and points in the paint for a Toreros squad that relies heavily on guard play and outside shooting.

Losing Kramer to graduation was a major loss, so it’s no surprise to see Head Coach Bill Grier address this loss in his recruiting. If you lose an effective German forward, why not replace him with another one? This is the theme behind the signing of Cameron Neubauer, a fellow German with the potential to slide right into the role vacated by Kramer and be an immediate impact player.

At Choate Rosemary Hall

Neubauer is from Berlin, Germany but played high school in ball in the United States at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut.

This past season his team went 18-3 and Neubauer was First Team All-League after an eye-popping stat line of 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. Neubauer also brings international experience to the Toreros having played for the Under-18 German National Team. Coach Grier has come to value those with international team experience quite heavily in recent years. Kramer also played for the German National Team, Duda Sanadze played with the Georgian National Team, and incoming freshman Vasilije Pusica played for the Serbian National Team.

Impact at San Diego

Neubauer can do a bit of everything, so it will be interesting to see what kind of role he fills with the Toreros. The obvious first choice is to take his German National Team experience plus his height at 6-foot-7 and apply them to replacing Dennis Kramer in the frontcourt. If Neubauer can match his 16 points and 7 rebounds per game he put up in high school, the Toreros will be getting similar numbers to what they got from Kramer. To lose Kramer and be able to completely replace his numbers right away with an incoming recruit would be huge, especially considering the window to do well is know with both Chris Anderson and Johnny Dee entering their final season at USD. With Jito Kok and Duda Sanadze now seasoned veterans plus a capable cast of supporting players, replacing Kramer is really the only major hurdle this season. If Neubauer can fill the role, the Toreros instantly improve their win potential for the season by a significant margin.

The wrinkle comes with the way Neubauer plays like a guard at times, as evident by his 6.0 assists per game. Neaubauer is four inches shorter than Kramer, so it’s tough to see him putting up the same numbers as Kramer. Some of his value will have to come with his shooting and ability to make plays. Grier has applauded him for his vision, so it’s possible he will fall into more a Thomas Jacobs or Mike Davis role as a hybrid rather than taking a full-time frontcourt role like Kramer. But considering the Toreros lack height in general and will rely heavily on shooting and guard play, to have a decent-sized forward who has proven he can get numbers down low will make Neubauer a valuable asset.

Feb 22, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Toreros forward Dennis Kramer (40) after a basket during the second half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Jenny Craig Pavillion. The Toreros won 69-66. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Neubauer will battle Simi Fajemisin and redshirt transfer Brandon Perry for the final available starting spot that was vacated by Kramer. The edge early on may go to Perry due to his collegiate experience and impressive build. Perry and Neubauer are the same height, but Perry is a large and intimidating big man who had success at Cal State Northridge. People around the program are very impressed with Perry, and he represents the best chance for the Toreros to replace Kramer and still have a strong inside presence alongside Jito Kok.

However, we should still see plenty of Neubauer. In the long-term he could be a key component of the frontcourt, and in the meantime he can slot into almost every position on the court when needed. Neubauer could be one of the first players off the bench to rest Kok, Perry, and Sanadze. His ability to shoot, drive, and create plays can make him a versatile hybrid who sees a lot of minutes.

A good comparison would be Mike Davis, who was very valuable in this role. When he missed most of last season due to injury, the roster without his presence was noticeable. In the long-term Neubauer could be the next Dennis Kramer, but in the short-term the Toreros will happily make him the next Mike Davis who can do a bit of everything. Either way, Neubauer is a great fit and the kind of player that could fill a need and do very well among the talented guards and big men already on the roster.

With the other incoming freshmen better suited as guards or small forwards and needing to battle each other for playing time, Neubauer has the best shot at being the most immediate impact player from this class.